Scottish Executive

Cancer

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for surgery on lung cancer in each NHS Trust.

Susan Deacon: The median waiting times for admission to hospital from the in-patient and day case waiting list for lung cancer surgery, in the year ending 30 September 2000, by NHS Trust are given in the table.

  The Scottish Cancer Group is currently preparing a cancer plan for Scotland which will be published in the near future. The plan will include national targets for maximum waiting times.

  NHSScotland: Median Waiting Times for Hospital Admission from the Inpatient and Day Case Waiting List for Lung Cancer1 Surgery: Year Ending 30 September 2000p

  


NHS Trust of Treatment 
  

Median Wait
(Days) 
  



Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals 
  

8 
  



Ayrshire and Arran Acute Hospitals 
  

5 
  



Borders Acute Hospitals 
  

12 
  



Dumfries and Galloway Acute and Maternity 
  

12 
  



Fife Acute Hospitals 
  

3 
  



Forth Valley Acute Hospitals 
  

6 
  



Grampian Acute Hospitals 
  

8 
  



Highland Acute Hospitals 
  

3 
  



Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals 
  

5 
  



Lothian University Hospitals 
  

21 
  



North Glasgow University Hospitals 
  

20 
  



South Glasgow University Hospitals 
  

9 
  



Tayside University Hospitals 
  

13 
  



West Lothian 
  

1 
  



Scotland 
  

13 
  



  p Provisional.

  Notes:

  1. Patients are defined using diagnosis and operation codes taken from World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD10) and the Office of Population and Censuses and Surveys Classification of Surgical Operations and Procedures 4th Revision (OPCS4) respectively. Patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer have been selected on the basis of having a principal diagnosis code C33 and C34 and a principal operation code E39-E48, E50 or E52-E62.

Children

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has carried out into the social and health benefits of providing equipped play areas for children.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive has not carried out any recent studies into the social and health benefits of providing equipped play areas for children.

Civil Servants

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12985 by Mr Angus MacKay on 23 March 2001, how many jobs the proposed Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care and Scottish Social Services Council will create.

Malcolm Chisholm: The number of new staff employed by the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care and the Scottish Social Services Council will depend on the number of existing staff who choose to transfer to these bodies. However, we expect that the commission will employ around 500 staff, approximately 50-70 of whom will be new, and the council will employ 30 staff, at least 14 of whom will be new.

Community Care

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding it will provide to local authorities to enable them to make places available immediately to all those people who have been assessed as requiring long-term nursing or residential care and who are currently on local authority waiting lists.

Malcolm Chisholm: The local government settlement allocations we announced in December provided for a 6.4% increase in total Scottish Executive grant support for local authority expenditure on services between 2000-01 and 2001-02 with further above-inflation increases for the following two years. The Grant Aided Expenditure allowances for social work services for adults, including residential and nursing home care, increased by 10% to over £1 billion this year. It is for authorities to determine how these resources are used consistent with legislative requirements, government priorities and achieving best value. In advance of these increases, we have provided local authorities with an additional £15 million in 2000-01 for community-based services which help reduce pressure on hospital beds. We have provided health boards with an additional £19 million for similar purposes.

Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to reduce the level of social problems such as drug abuse, ill-health and crime through the introduction and development within the school curriculum of a sporting culture for children and young people.

Mr Jack McConnell: Existing guidance provided by the Scottish Executive Education Department and Learning and Teaching Scotland to education authorities and schools already emphasise the benefits to pupils’ health and general well-being of providing a balanced and varied programme of sport and other forms of physical education within the school curriculum.

  Sportscotland works closely with education authorities in a number of programmes, targeted at primary and secondary schools, which aim to promote and increase the level and range of sporting and physical activity of school-aged children during and after school hours.

  The need to encourage positive healthy lifestyles, which would include sporting activity, is highlighted in the Scottish drug strategy, and in a range of initiatives designed to encourage positive school ethos and health promoting schools.

Enterprise

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to achieve the objectives of the Making it in Renfrewshire Network which involves, among others, the local chamber of commerce and businesses, within the structure and policies set out in Created in Scotland: The Way Forward for Scottish Manufacturing in the 21st Century .

Ms Wendy Alexander: Manufacturing industry is already supported extensively by the Executive and the Enterprise Network and we are anxious to avoid duplicating this role. However, as a result of the work in Renfrewshire, I have asked Scottish Enterprise to review whether the needs of the sector are being fully met, in particular the support provided through the Small Business Gateway. Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire will also work in partnership with the local Chamber of Commerce to map areas of existing support against those required by manufacturers. Based on this work, Scottish Enterprise will then be able to develop remedies where gaps in provision or in communication of existing support are identified.

Environment

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13098 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 9 March 2001, whether it will publish the content of its enquiries to Scottish Power, the Royal Navy, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Mr Leslie Mair of Glasgow Caledonian University in relation to the low level noise around the town of Largs in Ayrshire.

Rhona Brankin: Due to a tight deadline, our enquiries into this matter were made by telephone. It is therefore not possible to publish a record of them. Further information may be obtained by contacting the bodies and individuals that we consulted, as suggested in Sam Galbraith’s response to question S1W-13098.

Environment

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13098 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 9 March 2001, whether it will publish the responses of Scottish Power, the Royal Navy, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Mr Leslie Mair of Glasgow Caledonian University to enquiries in relation to the low level noise around the town of Largs in Ayrshire.

Rhona Brankin: The responses that we received to our enquiries on this matter from the above-named organisations and individuals were made by telephone. We are not therefore in a position to publish written responses. Further details on the conclusions reached by those we contacted should be addressed to the organisations and individuals concerned, as suggested in Sam Galbraith’s response to question S1W-13098.

Europe

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many working meetings have been held between Scottish Executive ministers and members of the European Commission since 1 July 1999, specifying the date and subject of each of these meetings and the names of the ministers and commissioners present at each.

Mr Jack McConnell: The information requested is set out in the table.

  Meetings between Scottish Executive Ministers and EU Commissioners

  


1 July 1999 – end February 2001 
  



Date 
  

Minister 
  

Commissioner 
  



11 October 1999 
  

Jack McConnell
Donald Dewar 
  

Commissioner Barnier
Subject
Scotland Week: Introductory meeting 
  



11 October 1999 
  

Donald Dewar 
  

Commissioner Bolkestein
Subject
Scotland Week: Introductory meeting 
  



12 October 1999 
  

Donald Dewar
Jack McConnell 
  

Commissioner Kinnock
Subject
Renewing Democracy 
  



12 October 1999


Donald Dewar
Ross Finnie 
  

Commissioner Fischler
Commissioner Byrne
Subject
Scotland Week: Introductory meeting 
  



13 October 1999


Sarah Boyack


Commissioner Wallstrom
Subject
Scottish, and EU, Environmental Policy 
  



1 July 1999 – end February 2001 
  



14 October 1999


Henry McLeish


Commissioner Liikanen
Subject
Scotland Week: Introductory meeting 
  



28 February 2000 
  

Sarah Boyack 
  

Commissioner Wallstrom
Subject
Environmental issues : Informal 
  



22 March 2000 
  

Jack McConnell 
  

Commissioner Schreyer
Subject
Structural Funds: Funding and Audit issues 
  



23 March 2000 
  

Jack McConnell 
  

Commissioner Barnier
Subject
Structural Funds: Highlands and Islands funding 
  



7 April 2000 
  

Jim Wallace


Commissioner Vitorino
Subject
Justice and Home Affairs Issues 
  



5 June 2000 
  

Jack McConnell


Commissioner Barnier
Subject
Decentralised Management of Structural Funds 
  



11 September 2000 
  

Donald Dewar 
  

Commissioner Diamantopoulou
Subject
Range of policy issues: Informal 
  



18 September 2000 
  

Susan Deacon


Commissioner Byrne
Subject
Health policy (including the scallop toxin problems) 
  



19 September 2000 
  

Donald Dewar
Jack McConnell 
  

Commissioner Barnier
Subject
Highlands and Island Special Transitional Programme 
  



8 November 2000 
  

Ross Finnie
Rhona Brankin 
  

Commissioner Fischler
Subject
Fisheries and Agriculture fact-finding trip 
  



9 November 2000 
  

Ross Finnie
Rhona Brankin 
  

Commissioner Fischler
Subject
Fisheries and Agriculture fact-finding trip 
  



6 December 2000 
  

Henry McLeish


Commissioner Kinnock
Subject
Governance 
  



11 December 2000 
  

Sam Galbraith


Commissioner Wallstrom
Subject
Scottish Environmental policy 
  



23 February 2001 
  

Henry McLeish
Jim Wallace 
  

Commissioner Kinnock
Subject
Future of Europe: Informal

Fisheries

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund a feasibility study on decommissioning for the fish processing industry.

Rhona Brankin: No. I do not consider decommissioning to be a feasible option for the fish processing sector.

Food Standards

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is available to people to allow them to make informed choices on types of vitamin, mineral and other supplements.

Malcolm Chisholm: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency Scotland, who have responsibility for policy on dietary supplements sold as foods (i.e. not medicines), that, as there are also significant interests in this issue within the Scottish Executive, the information to answer this question fully is still being researched. I shall write to the member by the 27 April 2001 with the requested information, and place a copy of the letter within the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. no. 12346).

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Ministry of Defence regarding contingency plans for the containment of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive considered Ministry of Defence staff from an early stage which has paved the way for the direct involvement of the armed forces in the containment and eradication of this disease.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice has been received from the Chief Veterinary Officer regarding the period of time which must be observed before areas where foot-and-mouth disease has been identified can be restocked with livestock.

Ross Finnie: Restrictions remain in force for a minimum of 30 days following the cleansing and disinfection of the last infected premise in an Infected Area. However, a number of factors affect the timing of cleansing and disinfection such as disposal of slurry and manure on pasture land. This may delay the point at which cleansing and disinfection procedures begin.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the scheme allowing the licensed movement of livestock from farm to abattoir (a) permits or (b) prevents (i) the movement of livestock from farms which lie within areas where foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed and (ii) the transportation of livestock on or across roads within such areas; whether any licences have been sought in relation to farms within infected areas; if so, whether any such licences have been granted; whether there has been any transportation of livestock across roads within infected areas and, if so, whether it plans to reassess the risks involved in such transportation.

Ross Finnie: The scheme licensing the movement of animals to slaughter for human consumption, which came into effect at midnight on 2 March, permits animals from outside Infected Areas to be moved under strict controls direct from the farm to a slaughterhouse. Where such movements go within 3 km of an infected place this may only be done by motorway, trunk road or railway. The movement of livestock from farms which lie within areas where foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed is prohibited.

  Information on the number of applications for a licence to move livestock from an Infected Area is not held centrally. If any such applications were received they would be rejected.

  The transportation of livestock across roads within infected areas is not permitted unless under licence for animal welfare purposes.

  With this arrangement operating, the movement of stock is kept under review.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the issues raised by the Road Haulage Association at the meeting of the Rural Development Committee on 13 March 2001, in particular the adequacy of the arrangements for disinfection of vehicles transporting livestock from farms to abattoir under licence, whether it is satisfied that all vehicles are effectively disinfected at abattoirs, what methods are being employed to ascertain whether this is the case, and whether these monitoring methods are sufficient and, if not, what additional measures will be taken to ensure adequate disinfection of such vehicles.

Ross Finnie: Thorough disinfection of vehicles is carried out under strict supervision on behalf of Scottish ministers once livestock have been unloaded at the abattoir. This system should help to ensure that any risk of infection is minimal.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to meet representatives of the Road Haulage Association as a matter of urgency to discuss concerns about the practical arrangements for the movement of livestock from farm to abattoir under licence and in particular about how to ensure that such movement and transportation does not involve any increase in the risks of transmission of the foot-and-mouth virus.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has had discussions with the Road Haulage Association.

  Conditions under which livestock can be moved under licence direct from the farm to the abattoir are tightly drawn and enforced, to minimise any risk of transmission of foot-and-mouth disease.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it is seeking from the museum and heritage sector with regard to the impact of the current foot-and-mouth disease outbreak on visitor numbers and visitor spend.

Allan Wilson: The Economic Impact Group is collecting information from all sources, including museums and galleries, to enable the Executive to provide reliable estimates of the medium to long-term effects of the outbreak.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Museum Council with regard to the impact of the current foot-and-mouth disease outbreak on visits to museums.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Museums Council is keeping the Executive informed about the impact of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak on museum visits.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Mr John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any livestock destroyed in the foot-and-mouth disease pre-emptive cull were blood sampled prior to their destruction.

Ross Finnie: The pre-emptive cull is being carried out to control and eradicate the disease as quickly and as effectively as possible. In view of the importance and urgency of this exercise blood sampling is not being carried out at present.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Mr John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to the financial impact of the precautionary measures to combat foot-and-mouth disease in relation to the movement of livestock still residing on over-wintering farms.

Ross Finnie: I recognise the difficulties which movement restrictions have given rise to for farmers, including those who have away-wintered animals. These restrictions are being reviewed in the light of experience and the disease situation locality.

  An assessment is being made of the financial impact of these restrictions on farming and other businesses.

Freedom of Information Bill

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial impact it expects its draft Freedom of Information legislation to have on local authorities in each of the next three years, and whether it has already provided for this impact in its recently announced three-year financial settlement.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive’s consideration of the potential cost to Scottish public authorities arising from freedom of information is set out in Freedom of Information – Consultation on Draft Legislation , published on 1 March 2001.

  Many Scottish public authorities already handle requests for information, whether or not under a formal regime, and will have existing structures in place able to support the provision of information under the freedom of information legislation.

  It is envisaged that the implementation of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill will be in stages, and that the cost to the Scottish public sector will be absorbed within planned resources.

General Practitioners

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many general practitioners ceased to practice as principals in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000, broken down by health board.

Susan Deacon: The information requested is shown in the following table.

  General Practitioners who ceased to practise as principals in Scotland, by health board area

  





Year ending 30 September 
  






1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  



Scotland 
  

139 
  

124 
  

157 
  



Argyll & Clyde 
  

15 
  

11 
  

12 
  



Ayrshire & Arran 
  

7 
  

8 
  

14 
  



Borders 
  

2 
  

2 
  

2 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

3 
  

7 
  

2 
  



Fife 
  

11 
  

6 
  

6 
  



Forth Valley 
  

5 
  

13 
  

10 
  



Grampian 
  

17 
  

9 
  

22 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

25 
  

21 
  

17 
  



Highland 
  

7 
  

9 
  

13 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

12 
  

7 
  

16 
  



Lothian 
  

18 
  

12 
  

25 
  



Orkney 
  

1 
  

2 
  

5 
  



Shetland 
  

2 
  

4 
  

1 
  



Tayside 
  

12 
  

11 
  

10 
  



Western Isles 
  

2 
  

2 
  

2 
  



  Source: General Medical Practitioner Database, ISD Scotland.

Health

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for a national strategy to tackle lung disease.

Susan Deacon: There are no current plans for a formal national strategy. The Executive’s policies on healthy lifestyles, like smoking and diet, along with the measures being taken to improve life circumstances, will all help prevent many lung diseases. Our record investment in the NHS will help health boards and NHS Trusts to meet the health care needs of people with lung diseases.

Hospitals

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive who is ultimately responsible at both management and NHS Trust level for cleanliness in hospitals and hospital wards.

Susan Deacon: Ultimate responsibility for hospital hygiene rests with the Chief Executives of the NHS Trusts which operate the hospitals.

Hospitals

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11657 by Susan Deacon on 5 March 2001, what action it will take to reverse the increase in hospital-acquired infections in the Ayrshire and Arran Health Board area since 1996.

Susan Deacon: Information provided in response to question S1W-11657 relates to numbers of laboratory isolates of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus  (MRSA) over the last five years. MRSA is one of the causes of hospital-acquired infection (HAI).

  Preventing and controlling HAI, including infections attributable to MRSA, is a key priority for the NHS in Scotland. The Scottish Health Plan, Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change, published in December last year, makes clear that every local health care system is expected to combat HAI by achieving service standards to be established by the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland on infection control, cleanliness and other matters.

  Comprehensive guidance on infection control in hospitals – the Scottish Infection Manual – was issued by the Scottish Office Health Department in 1998. It recommends that Infection Control Teams should be in place in every NHS Trust. Infection control teams are responsible for ensuring that action is taken to reduce the risk of HAI, and for investigating and recommending action on incidences of hospital-acquired infection, within the overall Trust policy on infection control.

  It is for each NHS Trust to ensure that guidance and standards are applied effectively. Following the implementation of standards in the area of infection control within the NHS, compliance with these standards will be independently assessed under the guidance of the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland.

Housing

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to assist home owners with the costs of removing white asbestos from their homes and whether applications for this purpose can be made through home improvement grant schemes.

Jackie Baillie: It is for owners to undertake any necessary works to their homes. Removing asbestos may qualify for assistance under the improvement and repairs grant system. However, local authorities administer the system and it is for them to decide whether to offer grant.

Housing

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available to owner occupiers in former Scottish Homes housing in Anderston, Glasgow who are now facing bills of up to £35,000 over 30 years as their share of common maintenance costs in the Scottish Homes stock transfer.

Jackie Baillie: Responsibility for meeting the costs rests with the owners in the first instance. However, we recognise that in the circumstances surrounding the Glasgow stock transfer the owners may require some assistance and the Framework Agreement states that a package of new initiatives will be developed to offer assistance.

Housing

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when Scottish Homes will consult on their options appraisal for stock transfer in Anderston, Glasgow and how many tenants and how many owner-occupiers will be consulted.

Jackie Baillie: Scottish Homes has established an Options Appraisal Group to consider future options for this stock. Membership of the group, which first meets tomorrow, will include Scottish Homes, the Anderston Tenants & Residents Association and individual tenants and owner-occupiers. The group is due to report on options in July of this year.

Local Government

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to address levels of absenteeism in local government.

Angus MacKay: As independent corporate bodies, it is for individual local authorities to determine the terms and conditions of employment of their employees and to consider what, if any, action is required to address absenteeism.

Local Government Finance

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will instruct the relevant body to carry out an investigation into the handling by North Ayrshire Council and its preceding authority, Cunninghame District Council, of revenue generated from the foreshore car park at Gallowgate Street, Largs, Ayrshire following the transfer of revenue accruing from this source from the Largs Common Good to the general funds of these local authorities from 1 April 1995.

Peter Peacock: The relevant body to carry out an investigation into financial management matters within local authorities would be Audit Scotland on behalf of the Accounts Commission for Scotland, which are both independent of Ministers in this regard. Any person with a genuine concern relating to the finances of a council can refer it to the Accounts Commission at any time. If the Accounts Commission, or the Audit Scotland staff who serve the Accounts Commission, consider the subject matter to fall within their remit they will initiate preliminary enquiries.

  I understand that the matter in question has already been raised with the Accounts Commission.

NHS Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to increase access to NHS chiropody treatment and provide additional services in this area.

Susan Deacon: This is a matter for NHS Trusts responsible for primary care, if necessary in consultation with health boards. These bodies are responsible for assessing health service requirements in their area and for deciding on priorities within the increased resources we are making available to NHSScotland.

NHS Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence exists to show what improvements have been made in the care and service delivery through Local Health Care Co-operatives (LHCCs) and how the cost of delivering such care and services compares with the previous structure.

Susan Deacon: The work of the LHCC Best Practice Group has identified a substantial range of service improvements. Audit Scotland has also carried out an evaluation of LHCCs’ range of activities. Reports from both pieces of work are expected shortly and will, together with other related work, inform what the Executive does next on this issue.

  LHCCs are supported through their local Primary Care Trust. When fundholding ended, the £13.5 million used to pay fundholding management allowances was transferred to local unified budgets to facilitate that support. The GP fundholding scheme covered 50% of GP practices, whereas 97% of GP practices are covered by LHCCs.

Organ Retention

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many enquiries have been made to each health board on the issue of the retention of children’s organs.

Susan Deacon: The information is not held centrally in the form requested. The table gives the numbers of inquiries received by NHS Acute Trusts relating to the retention of organs at post mortem in general.

  


NHS Acute Trust 
  

Number of Telephone and Postal Inquiries 
  Received up to 13/02/01 
  



Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals 
  

23 
  



Ayrshire and Arran Acute Hospitals 
  

42 
  



Borders General Hospital 
  

5 
  



Dumfries and Galloway Acute and Maternity Hospitals 
  

11 
  



Fife Acute Hospitals 
  

9 
  



Forth Valley Acute Hospitals 
  

48 
  



Grampian University Hospitals 
  

300 
  



North Glasgow University Hospitals 
  

34 
  



South Glasgow University Hospitals 
  

25 
  



Yorkhill 
  

1,170 
  



Highland Acute Hospitals 
  

29 
  



Lanarkshire Acute 
  

83 
  



Lothian University Hospitals 
  

160 
  



West Lothian Healthcare 
  

10 
  



Tayside University Hospitals 
  

51 
  



Total Number of Enquiries 
  

2,000

Parenting

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop a national parenting strategy.

Nicol Stephen: Executive officials have met a range of voluntary and statutory agencies and parents themselves to discuss the provision of parenting support. We are giving careful consideration to the best way forward, recognising the importance of building upon existing support mechanisms for parents which work.

Pensions

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that staff transferring from local authority employment to the employment of private contractors who have been awarded trunk roads maintenance contracts are offered continuity of their pension arrangements.

Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1F-910 on 15 March 2001.

Police

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13635 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 March 2001, how the £8 million investment package announced on 19 February 2001 is being spent, broken down by police force and project.

Mr Jim Wallace: The £8 million investment package announced last month, which is being funded from the Capital Modernisation Fund, covers two major initiatives promoted by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland. The first is to share intelligence information across the eight Scottish police forces and the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency, in line with the National Intelligence Model. This will be facilitated through the Scottish Intelligence Database. The second is to implement a Management Information System that will facilitate the tracking of key performance indicators and decision-making in response to crime pattern analysis. Both of these initiatives will be implemented on a secure national computer network, also funded within this package. An implementation team is currently studying the requirements of individual forces and the SDEA. Whilst the breakdown by police force and project is an operational matter for chief constables, the Executive will seek confirmation on the business case so that Best Value in relation to each can be assessed and subsequent performance following implementation evaluated against an agreed specification.

Public Transport

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to discuss with the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive the recent derailment, and any other incidents affecting public safety, on the Glasgow Underground.

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take in response to the recent derailment, and any other incidents affecting public safety, on the Glasgow Underground and whether there are any plans for any investigations into these.

Sarah Boyack: The operation of the Glasgow Underground railway system is the responsibility of Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive (SPTE). Under Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998, the provision and regulation of railway services, which includes railway safety, are reserved matters. This covers both surface and underground railways. I understand that the Health and Safety Executive is currently conducting a full investigation into the cause of the recent accident on the Underground, and I have no plans to discuss it with SPTE.

Public Transport

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is given to public safety standards when the annual grant payment to the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive is awarded.

Sarah Boyack: The Special Grant to the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority (SPTA) supports the provision of railway services within the Strathclyde Passenger Transport area under the ScotRail franchise. The grant does not support the Glasgow underground. The underground is run directly by the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive (SPTE) and is financed by SPTA’s constituent local authorities through their support for the authority’s activities.

  Both the provider of the railway services and SPTE, as provider of the underground services, are required to meet all relevant GB safety standards, which are monitored by the Health and Safety Executive.

Racism

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make funding available to enable representatives from relevant Scottish voluntary sector or other organisations to attend the United Nations Third World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, to be held in Durban, South Africa from 31 August to 7 September 2001 and, if not, whether it will make advice available to such organisations on other potential sources of such funding.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will be represented at the United Nations Third World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance to be held in Durban, South Africa from 31 August to 7 September 2001.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what preparatory discussions have taken place with Her Majesty’s Government in relation to Scotland’s representation at the United Nations Third World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, to be held in Durban, South Africa from 31 August to 7 September 2001.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to ensure that the views and concerns of relevant Scottish voluntary sector or other organisations are represented at the United Nations Third World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, to be held in Durban, South Africa from 31 August to 7 September 2001.

Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive is maintaining close contact with the UK Government about the arrangements for this conference. Executive officials attended one of two consultative seminars that were recently held in Scotland, organised by the UK Government. These were intended to inform Scottish non-governmental organisations (NGOs) about the conference and to seek their views.

  The Executive is also discussing with the UK Government emerging United Nations’ proposals to support NGOs’ contributions to the proceedings. There are no plans for the Scottish Executive to provide direct funding for attendance at the conference.

  We are asking the Black and Ethnic Minority Infrastructure in Scotland, as part of their advisory work in partnership with others such as SCVO, to assist with the provision of advice on the conference, potential sources of financial assistance and longer term sharing of the outcomes from Durban more widely in Scotland.

  The question of representation from the Scottish Executive will be considered following decisions by the UN on the overall size of government delegations and the final conference programme.

Rail Network

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to receive the full business case for the Larkhall to Milngavie rail extension.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive received the full business case from Strathclyde Passenger Transport on 19 March and is considering it as a matter of urgency.

Roads

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the term trunk road contracts will be awarded for Ayrshire and the South West of Scotland and when the successful bidders will be announced.

Sarah Boyack: The result of the competition was announced in my reply to Des McNulty on 23 January (question S1W-12726). I subsequently announced my intention to award the contract in my answer to Mary Mulligan on 2 February (question S1W-13044).

Roads

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the tender period closed for the term trunk road contracts in Ayrshire and the South West of Scotland and what the target date for announcement of successful bids was.

Sarah Boyack: Tenders for each of the trunk road management and maintenance contracts were submitted to the Scottish Executive in accordance with the instructions for tendering before noon on 30 October 2000. At that stage it was hoped that an announcement of a successful bid could have been made before the end of the year. The result of the competition was announced in my reply to Des McNulty on 23 January (question S1W-12726). I subsequently announced my intention to award the contract in my answer to Mary Mulligan on 2 February (question S1W-13044).

Teacher Training

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teacher training places exist for (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) special educational needs teaching, in which institutions the places are offered and how many places are offered in each institution.

Mr Jack McConnell: Recommended intakes to primary and secondary initial teacher education courses set by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) for academic session 2000-01:

  


Institution 
  

Primary 
  

Secondary 
  



University of Edinburgh 
  

202 
  

293 
  



University of Glasgow 
  

215 
  

231 
  



Northern College of Education 
  

241 
  

217 
  



University of Paisley 
  

114 
  

60 
  



University of Stirling 
  
 

115 
  



University of Strathclyde 
  

245 
  

446 
  



Total 
  

1,017 
  

1,362 
  



  There is no initial teacher education qualification in special educational needs and therefore no training places allocated. A qualification in teaching children with special educational needs is an extension of the professional development of a teacher and is undertaken as in-service training.

  The above information will appear in the next edition of the Supply of Teachers report (Vol. 1, January 2001). Information for 2001-02 is not yet available. However, this will also be included in the Supply of Teachers report in due course.

Teacher Training

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many one year postgraduate teacher training places exist for (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) special educational needs teaching, in which institutions the places are offered and how many places are offered in each institution.

Mr Jack McConnell: Recommended intakes to primary and secondary postgraduate certificate in education courses set by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) for academic session 2000-01:

  


Institution 
  

Postgraduate Certificate in Education 
  



Primary 
  

Secondary 
  



University of Edinburgh 
  

63 
  

184 
  



University of Glasgow 
  

75 
  

165 
  



Northern College of Education 
  

72 
  

175 
  



University of Paisley 
  

30 
  

60 
  



University of Strathclyde 
  

76 
  

416 
  



Total 
  

316 
  

1,000 
  



  There is no initial teacher education qualification in special educational needs and therefore no training places allocated. A qualification in teaching children with special educational needs is an extension of the professional development of a teacher and is undertaken as in-service training.

  The above information will appear in the next edition of the Supply of Teachers report. Information for 2001-02 is not yet available. However, this will also be included in the Supply of Teachers report in due course.

Teacher Training

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teacher training places on courses of more than one year exist for (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) special educational needs teaching, in which institutions the places are offered and how many places are offered in each institution.

Mr Jack McConnell: Recommended intakes to primary and secondary courses of more than one year set by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) for academic session 2000-01

  


Institution 
  

Primary 
  

Secondary 
  



BEd 
  

Bed 
  

Combined Degree 
  



University of Edinburgh 
  

139 
  

109 
  






University of Glasgow 
  

140 
  

34 
  

32 
  



Northern College of Education 
  

169 
  

27 
  

15 
  



University of Paisley 
  

84 
  









University of Stirling 
  







115 
  



University of Strathclyde 
  

169 
  




30 
  



Total 
  

701 
  

170 
  

192 
  



  There is no initial teacher education qualification in special educational needs and therefore no training places allocated. A qualification in teaching children with special educational needs is an extension of the professional development of a teacher and is undertaken as in-service training.

  The above information will appear in the next edition of the Supply of Teachers report. Information for 2001-02 is not yet available. However, this will also be included in the Supply of Teachers report in due course.

Teachers

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of qualified teachers in technical education.

Mr Jack McConnell: A report has been sent to the Convenor of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee detailing the background to the current position on the collection of information relevant to teacher supply and outlining planned improvements to current methods. Copies of this report have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. no. 10751). The answer to your question can be found at paragraphs 26-38 of the report.

Transport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of the services provided by Deloitte and Touche in connection with Proposals for a Highlands and Islands Integrated Transport Authority and why the remit given to them did not include a requirement to present a case for the creation of a Highlands and Islands Integrated Transport Authority for consideration by consultees or to make any recommendations on the form of any such authority.

Sarah Boyack: The total costs incurred by Deloitte and Touche were around £125,000. This represents good value, given the comprehensive consultation exercise and the need to analyse a very complex set of issues.

  The remit given to Deloitte and Touche was prepared in partnership by the Scottish Executive, the six local authorities involved in the study, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. All the partners agreed that it was not for Deloitte and Touche to recommend a single way forward, but instead to advise on the issues to be considered by the partners in reaching such a decision.

  Consistent with this, Deloitte and Touche set out the case for and against establishing a Highlands and Islands Integrated Transport Authority (HIITA) and make recommendations about the form a HIITA might take; for example, that Shetland should not be included in any authority.

Transport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why Deloitte and Touche in their report Proposals for a Highlands and Islands Integrated Transport Authority did not provide any estimate of costs or range of costs for Options 4A and 4B and whether an estimate will now be provided for the costs for these two options.

Sarah Boyack: On pages 89-90 of Volume I of the report, Deloitte and Touche estimate the resource costs of option 4A, a minimum function Highlands and Islands Integrated Transport Authority (HIITA), as being around £600,000.

  This estimate provides a baseline by which one could calculate the resource costs of a most-function HIITA (Option 4B), depending on which of the additional functions were taken on.

Water Charges

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual water charges for domestic users were in each water authority area for each year since 1994.

Ross Finnie: The information is given in the following table:

  


Band D Domestic Water Charges (£/year) 
  






1994-95 
  

1995-96 
  

1996-97 
  

1997-98 
  

1998-99 
  

1999-2000 
  

2000-01 
  



East of Scotland Water Area 
  



Borders 
  

92.00 
  

95.00 
  

91.00 
  

96.00 
  

104.00 
  

104.00 
  

124.50 
  



Forth Valley 
  

47.00 
  

46.00 
  

48.00 
  

54.00 
  

75.50 
  

91.00 
  

124.50 
  



Fife 
  

59.00 
  

64.00 
  

67.00 
  

75.00 
  

93.50 
  

95.50 
  

124.50 
  



Lothian 
  

78.00 
  

92.00 
  

91.00 
  

96.00 
  

104.00 
  

104.00 
  

124.50 
  



North of Scotland Water Area 
  



Grampian 
  

89.00 
  

89.00 
  

92.50 
  

99.00 
  

110.00 
  

119.15 
  

165.38 
  



Highland 
  

88.31 
  

91.00 
  

92.50 
  

99.00 
  

110.00 
  

119.15 
  

165.38 
  



Tayside 
  

69.00 
  

74.00 
  

77.00 
  

84.50 
  

98.00 
  

114.00 
  

165.38 
  



Orkney 
  

123.00 
  

122.00 
  

116.00 
  

111.00 
  

110.00 
  

119.15 
  

165.38 
  



Shetland 
  

116.00 
  

118.36 
  

116.00 
  

111.00 
  

110.00 
  

119.15 
  

165.38 
  



Western Isles 
  

194.00 
  

186.00 
  

116.00 
  

111.00 
  

110.00 
  

119.15 
  

165.38 
  



West of Scotland Water Area 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

84.00 
  

83.25 
  

90.00 
  

95.40 
  

103.03 
  

107.08 
  

119.40 
  



Strathclyde 
  

80.00 
  

87.00 
  

90.00 
  

95.40 
  

103.03 
  

107.08 
  

119.40

Water Charges

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive,  further to the answer to question S1W-13418 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 20 March 2001, what the results were of the consultation exercises and, in particular, whether a majority of respondents, in each case and overall, favoured or opposed the withdrawal of water rates relief.

Ross Finnie: In June 2000, the water authorities consulted those customers benefiting from the full level of relief on water and sewerage charges in relation to their plans to withdraw those reliefs. Those customers who do not benefit from reliefs were not consulted. 11,173 letters were issued. 7,938 (71%) of those contacted did not respond. Of those who did respond, 1,682 (15% of the total contacted) believed that relief should be granted to all those in the group whose relief is to be phased out with effect from 1 April 2001, and 1,166 (10% of the total contacted) believed that relief should be granted to some members of the group. The remaining 387 either believed that none of the group should receive reliefs, or did not respond to the question.